Yasir Hussain and Ayesha Omar starrer Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer could unfortunately not be released in Pakistan but it has gotten its fair share of recognition and appreciation internationally. And interestingly, the ban is not stopping the story from going forward. The film will now be getting a sequel titled Javed Iqbal 2, as announced by Hussain on his Instagram earlier today.
“Forget one, wait for this one. Full story coming soon,” he wrote in the caption. Check it out below.
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Speaking to the Express Tribune, Hussain shared how this version is not meant for local cinemas, as a result of what happened with the first film. “We’re working on a sequel to Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer. Since the film has been banned in Pakistan, we plan on releasing this on OTT. We are not targeting this film for Pakistani cinemas; we fully plan to target the sequel for the international audience,” he said.
Since the film gained immense popularity and accolades internationally, that’s where the filmmakers are geared towards moving forward. According to Hussain, it will also give the local audience a chance to watch the film, for which they don’t have to watch the first one. “Several international film festivals invited us, so we know that the audience has received this subject well. Since Pakistani viewers still haven’t watched the film because of the ban, they can simply watch the sequel, as it will be a more detailed story about Javed Iqbal. Part one was a teaser; this would be the whole film,” he said.
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Filmmaker Abu Aleeha also shed light on the decision, sharing that the sequel will be based on his second book about the case, called Kukri 2. Aleeha also reassured that there’s no glorification of any kind for the serial killer, despite popular belief. “I know there’s this misconception about how Javed Iqbal film is insensitive and happens to glorify him, but that has never been the case. Not in my first film or the upcoming one. Even though we will have a detailed look into his childhood and crimes, we have not shown a single kid in the film. Our intention behind making a film on Javed Iqbal is to create awareness. That’s about it,” he said.
He also shared how this film will be more intense than the first one, considering there’s no censor board to worry about, and the international audience can stomach the subject matter. “We are very transparent with the story. This film will be more realistic than the first, more brutal. Since our target is the international audience, we don’t have to worry about the censor board and their approval,” he shared.
“We have signed a contract with a streaming platform; we are primarily targeting film festivals such as Cannes and Toronto International Film Festival. So, we know that we are working on a bigger scale,” he added.
The plan is also to add more familiar faces to the cast. “Yasir and I are still discussing who else should be cast in the film. But since we know we have money on our hands, we will be able to work with a star-studded cast. That’s the idea,” he said.
